Lang
1/3/20
A motion to reinstate ousted Muscatine City Administrator Gregg Mandsager died as quickly as it was brought up Thursday.
According to The Muscatine Journal, mayor Diana Broderson introduced the motion at Thursday night’s first meeting of the newly-elected council. New councilor Dwayne Hopkins immediately called for the motion to be tabled. The motion died due to a lack of a second, although Hopkins claimed it had been defeated by the council.
Hopkins asked for clarification, to which Broderson responded that because her motion was never seconded, it technically was never brought before the council.
Last month on a 4-3 vote, the council ruled that Mandsager would no longer perform his duties on behalf of the city.
During that meeting, council member Kelcey Brackett cited lack of confidence in Mandsager’s ability to act as the city’s administrator, pointing out several times when he had been given directives by the council but continued to do the opposite.
Thursday night’s meeting also saw councilor Osmond Malcolm ask the city to consider terminating its contract with city attorney Matt Brick and the Brick Gentry law firm of West Des Moines. Malcolm said he didn’t think Brick had done anything wrong, but felt it was time for a change. Broderson said she had received phone calls asking why the city didn’t use a local attorney.
The discussion was tabled until the January 16th meeting to give city staff time to consider other options for the city’s attorney. Brick Gentry would be allowed to submit an application along with other candidates.